Vail Cascade hosts 'Eat, Drink & Be Merry' healthy eating seminar

Related Media

For many, the holidays are a time to gather with friends and family. The unavoidable side effect is huge dinners, festivities and parties offering dips, chips and rich foods, sweet delicacies and free-flowing libations.Between the holiday parties, family gatherings, travel and temptations, this time of year can take a toll on your waistline. In fact, some studies estimate that the average American gains 7 to 10 pounds during the holidays and then spends the better half of the next year trying to take it off. But it doesn't have to be that way. It is possible to celebrate and indulge in moderation without sabotaging your health and wellness efforts.On Wednesday, Aria Club and Atwater on Gore Creek are hosting the first "Eat, Drink & Be Merry" healthy holiday eating seminar at the Vail Cascade Resort. Taylor Hagan, Aria Club's new personal trainer and registered dietitian, and the Atwater culinary team, have created a two-hour nutritional program that will arm attendees with knowledge and tips and tricks to enjoy the holidays and keep their current pant size."Eat, Drink & Be Merry" will feature a combination of interactive cooking demonstrations, healthy eating tips, behavioral strategies for avoiding weight gain, and an expert Q&A session with Hagan. Attendees will have the opportunity to mingle, sample and learn how to survive the holiday eating frenzy. Additionally, all attendees will receive a free 30-minute personal nutrition consultation for attending, which they can redeem at their leisure.Crab salad spears1 bunch California endive8 ounces lump crab meat 1 lemon, juiced1 red pepper1 yellow pepper2 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil1 Tablespoon chopped chives1 Tablespoon parsleyOpen crab meat and press out some of the juice, but leave some for flavor. Crumble crab into a bowl and add lemon juice. Dice red and yellow pepper and add to crab. Add chopped parsley, chives and olive oil. For each California endive, peel away the leaves and lay them down on a platter. Fill each endive leaf with crab mixture at white end of the leaf. Add chive sprig for garnish.Nutrition per serving: Calories: 29, Fat: 1.5 grams (0 saturated), Sodium: 50 mg, Carbohydrates: 1 gram, Fiber: 0.5 gram, Protein: 3 grams.Makes 20 appetizers.